"Who hath despised the day of small things"

Question 1

WHDTDOST?: Floral imagery/Flower metaphors as depictions of women.
1. A v s b i r a s
2. s s g f a l s

Answer 1

1. ‘As violets so be I recluse and sweet’: extended simile of fragile flowers plays into ‘Victorian normative femininity’ with the female consistently depicted as meek and delicate, constantly prone to damage. - ‘shrinking violet’ stereotype.
2. ‘still sunward gazing from a lowly seat’: the personification of these flowers functions as a metaphor for the aspirational hopes of women as they long for the ‘sun’ which with its illuminating quality suggests a state of positivity, sustenance etc. Perhaps the planetary focus of ‘sunward gazing’ reflects the complete unattainable state of these aspirations (potentially for greater respect & equality w/ males) in a repressive Victorian culture. Juxtaposed by the static ‘lowly seat’ which reflects the complete lack of social mobility for the Victorian female entrapped by teh restrictions of her own gender/sex. Also a metaphor for teh separate spheres for women as the diminutive positional ‘lowly’ reflects the unimportance of teh feminine & the lack of respect afforded to women.

Question 2

WHDTDOST: The oppressive yet unfulfilled nature of society

1. ‘whilst l f t t b a b’
2. ‘still s w a’
3. ‘half-awakened S l i’

Answer 2

1. ‘whilst lofty forest trees tower bleak and bare’: Positional lang. of ‘lofty’ and ‘tower’ suggest a domineering, oppressive force, perhaps functioning as a metaphor for the male dominated social spheres of Victorian England.
   The sheer sparsity of ‘bleak’ & ‘bare’ suggest a lack of nourishment & point to a state of underdevelopment, metaphorically representing the underdeveloped state of an unequal society dominated by males. Perhaps through the juxtapositioning of the rather underdeveloped and unappealing trees with the vivacity and vibrancy of ‘Cheerful daises’ which ‘bloom and make them fair’ subverts the prevailing social expectation of female dependency on males for development, suggesting that equally men need women for completion, the symbiotic depiction of teh relationships between men and women unveiling the hugely protofeminist idea of gender equality.
2. ‘Still sweetening wintry air’: the transformative properties of ‘sweetening’ suggest an ability to ‘soften’ and male something more palatable. Perhaps this ‘sweetening’ of brisk ‘wintry air’ is a metaphor for teh useful role of women in society as though they are forced into domestic positions to fulfil ‘Angel of the Hearth’ stereotypes, they still have key functions in society & are important contributors.

3, ‘half-awakened Spring lags incomplete’: motif of unfinished development, suggests society is on the precipice of change/has the capacity for greater reform as the associations of ‘Spring’ with renewed beginnings and birth suggest a potential for major soc. reform. Does potentially add to the slight tone of dissatisfaction of the speaker w the earthly realm bc their existence feels wholly unfulfilling!!